1918 Buffalo Nickel Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1918 Buffalo Nickel brings anywhere from $0.10 to $38.00. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Public domain image (struck or printed before 1926). Click to enlarge.
1918 Buffalo Nickel value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Good (G-4) | $0.10 to $0.15 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.10 to $0.20 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.20 to $0.35 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.40 to $0.70 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.80 to $1.35 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.60 to $2.70 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3.20 to $5.40 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $7.20 to $12.00 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $22.50 to $38.00 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
How much is a 1918 Buffalo Nickel worth today?
A 1918 Buffalo Nickel that spent decades in circulation is worth about $0.10 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $38.00. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1918 Buffalo Nickel specifications
- Series
- Buffalo Nickel
- Year
- 1918
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 32,086,314
- Composition
- 75% copper, 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diameter
- 21.2 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- James Earle Fraser
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1918 Buffalo Nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the reverse, below FIVE CENTS at the bottom), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
Why the 1918 Buffalo Nickel is worth money
The generous mintage of 32,086,314 keeps this date affordable. That availability is an asset for collectors: it is the textbook choice for owning the Buffalo Nickel design without a key-date price tag.
Few series carry the following that supports the 1918 Buffalo Nickel. Well-struck, fully dated examples are the series' quiet condition rarities. A coin that thousands of collectors are actively assembling into sets never lacks for a market.
1918 Buffalo Nickel inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY / (date) / F [initial]
Native American bust right
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / E/ PLURIBUS/ UNUM / FIVE CENTS / [mintmark]
American bison left
Measured 1918 Buffalo Nickel specimens
3 physically measured 1918 Buffalo Nickel examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 5 g, 21.2 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 Buffalo Nickel #1 | - | - | - | - |
| 1918 Buffalo Nickel #2 | - | - | - | - |
| 1918 Buffalo Nickel #3 | - | - | - | - |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1918 Buffalo Nickel is valued between $0.10 and $38.00 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.